Rubies of the Fangs: Red is for Fire
by guys in my head
Summary: A slim teenage girl sat quietly in an old gnarled tree, one smooth, pale leg swinging down off the branch. She sang quietly, staring at the moon, to the bundle in her arms whose body rose and fell with its breath.  M to be safe
1. Prologue

_**Undead Forever**_

A slim teenage girl sat quietly in an old gnarled tree, one smooth, pale leg swinging down off the branch. She sang quietly, staring at the moon, to the bundle in her arms whose body rose and fell with its breath. Her hip length, long black hair shimmered silver-white streaks in the moonlight. There was a sharp snap and the girl seemingly broke from her trance. The thing in her arms jumped up, hissing and snarling. It was a huge rat with red, beady eyes.

"Who's there?" She called suspiciously. It was no one from her own camp, but there were no other gangs around there that she knew of. She searched the forest floor for the intruder before her hand was automatically drawn up to the ruby pendant around her neck which had begun to glow. She let out a startled gasp and her eyes searched the floor harder.

"Mystic?" The voice asked cautiously. The newcomer was dressed in a trench coat and jeans with black combat boots that matched the girl in the tree's. You couldn't see a coat under the jacket.

"Jin!" The girl was surprised as she jumped down to the ground and hugged her friend. "It's been an eternity."

"Only a few weeks right?" Jin frowned, blinking her blue eyes.

Mystic was startled.

"Jin, I haven't seen you in seven years." She said carefully, "It's 2010."

The other girl blinked again and her eyes changed to a startled chartreuse color.

"It can't have been." She whispered.

"It was 2003 when we thought we lost you."

"No…no…I can't…remember." Jin winced. "Has it been seven years?"

"Yes, it's been seven years since we were kicked out of the underworld." Mystic nodded, "And seven years since you last wore this." She held up a ruby, smaller that hers but still the same general shape. She had pulled it out of what had seemed to be, and was, thin air as her tight black, ripped dress had no pockets.

"Seven years…" Jin shook her head and her own black hair bounced. "My God it's been so long, Mystic."

"We looked for you but you had wandered off." Mystic told her. "Where were you?"

"I…I don't know." Jin frowned. "Mystic…I can't remember anything but finding myself here."


	2. Chapter 1

"Jin?" There was a shocked gasp that echoed around the clearing where quite a few houses hid in the trees. One of the teenage boys, one with long blonde hair, shook his bangs in front of his eyes, but not before Mystic could see the bright purple color they had become.

Jin smiled innocently and stepped out from behind Mystic.

"Hey guys…" She gave an awkward laugh and held her hands in a "what can I say?" motion.

The rat on the other girls shoulder looked disapproving of the attention Jin was being given and made a "ick, ick, ick!" sound. Mystic silenced him with a stroke.

One of the boys hadn't really done anything at the sight of their old flame. He stared at Mystic, looked her over. It wasn't a secret Gnarfas was into her. He knew she never noticed his staring because Mystic wasn't the kind of girl to ignore it, thing is her _brother_ knew he liked her. He ran his hand through his reddish-brown hair and looked back at Jin. Giving a shrug, he held his arms out for a hug.

Jin laughed.

"Gnarfas, you idiot!" She hugged him quickly, no one noticed the blonde boy's eyes go from purple to green. Jin and Gnarfas had known each other for years, had a brother-sister I-hate-you-but-I-have-to-love-you relationship. It obviously had not changed over the course of the seven years she had been missing.

"Ah, so good to have you back, little bitch." Another teenage guy walked up, shaking his black hair out of his eyes. He bore a striking resemblance to Mystic, just appeared a little older. "So now we can call you guys Bitch 1 and Bitch 2 again." He tousled the younger girl's hair and she growled.

"Oh, knock it off, Vector, she just got back!" Mystic rolled her eyes and walked over. Vector hugged her quickly.

"Glad you're back, Mys, you didn't tell me where you were going, I got worried…" Everyone knew it wasn't completely true. When they were humans, Mystic and Vector were not the type of teens parent's wanted their kids hanging out with. Even with the two year difference in age, they shared an ignorant father and had "lost" their mother in an accident when Mystic was just born. Both had done just about anything to get the attention they so much desired, and they wound up in big trouble. Mystic survived two years of Juvenile Detention for alcohol abuse, under age drinking, possession and use of drugs, and selling drugs. Vector had done the same, but not been caught for drug possession and therefore only served one years worth of time, the year before his sister went in.

Though the others knew their past, or most of it, they couldn't deny they loved each other. They had been through hell and back, literally, with finding out their mother wasn't dead, but had left to be with another, having not wanted children and having wound up with two. The man she was with hadn't been a man at all and on Vector's nineteenth birthday, he discovered that minor fact.

A year later, with Vector acting strange, Mystic became eighteen and found herself in a desperate position, when she was released from the hospital. Vector was furious with her, and he'll never forgive himself that.

So they both found themselves vampires, physically only a year apart from each other.

But, for them to get there, they had been through some pretty rough spots and their relationship was just a little fucked up. Money can be a major problem in drugs, and even if you sell, there's still costs you need to keep up with, especially when you first get hooked.

"I'm fine." She assured and rolled her eyes when Vector gave her a once over, checking her neck and inconspicuously her wrists.

"Good." He kissed her forehead, "Tell me when you leave. Please?"

He wasn't her boss, and he knew and understood that. It didn't make him feel any less guilty or suddenly responsible for her.

"So, we have pretty houses now." Jin commented, "No more huts?"

Mystic chuckled.

"No more huts! We figured out how to afford houses!"

"She means Vector spent a few months vending on the streets of NYC." Gnarfas laughed.

"He did not!" Mystic pouted playfully. "Unfortunately, you don't have a house. You can bunk with- -"

"I have a room available." Jinx blurted, the kid with the blonde hair.

"Jinx?" Mystic's original statement had become a question. "Ok! You can bunk with Jinx!"

Jin nodded.

"FIne with me." She bit back a happy smile, she could remember she used to have a crush on Jinx.

"And you should wear this." Mystic clasped the charm bracelet on her friend's wrist. "It means you're officially back."

Jin smiled.

"GUYS! RUBY GANG IS OFFICIALLY COMPLETE!" Mystic exclaimed and everyone clapped and laughed. For the first time in seven years, all the friends had been united and their chances of survival in this world were a hell of a lot higher.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'll see you , Jin!" Mystic hugged her tightly. "Don't you go wandering off!"

"Coming from you." Jin rolled her eyes and grinned, "I'll be fine!"

"Okay…" Mystic sighed and let Juvie climb into the handbag she had left on the ground and just picked up. Jinx gave Mystic a grin before nodding towards the house he had taken for his. Mystic smiled and waved quickly, innocently, like a little girl. She knew Jinx had feelings for Jin because it had always been obvious. She was surprised he hadn't gotten over her, but it wasn't her business.

She turned around to head to her house across the way before literally spinning into Gnarfas' chest. She scratched her forehead, brushing hair in front of her pink eyes from embarrassment of running right into the only guy she had ever had true feelings about.

Not that she'd ever show them.

Which, wasn't at all like her. She was outgoing, in charge, fast moving, obnoxious sometimes even, but she had to admit she had started off shy, nervous, skittish, attention starved…

She had started out a lot different than anyone here. She looked quickly down to follow Gnarfas' gaze at her pocketbook. Juvie blinked up at her innocently. He was her little baby, the thing she had coddled. She had found him in Juve and given him the same name, with an "i" so it wasn't that obvious.

"Sorry, Gnarfas!" She faked a smile and laughed, "You think I'd learn how to pay more attention."

"It's fine, Mys." Gnarfas shrugged and she became awkwardly aware of how nice it was to have his body against hers like it was at that moment. She jumped backwards and waved.

"See ya!" She skipped up to the house.

Gnarfas watched her leave, unaware to the fact Mystic's rat was scuffling against the leaves making a hissing noise. It killed him how she chose to wear little to no clothes. her favorite outfit being the black dress she wore to her father's funeral. It had been short in the first place, but so many years later it was ripped and torn, exposing more skin than entirely necessary.

He didn't feel guilty, it wasn't as if Carter, Vector's best friend, wasn't trying to grope her every single time her brother wasn't there and it's not as if no one's eye's traveled up and down her body when she walked into the supermarket wearing _jeans_ and a _t-shirt_ and that pretty much covered _everything_. Of course, they were skinny jeans, but still.

Gnarfas suddenly realized there was a stinging sensation in his hand and looked to see one of his worst enemies gnawing at his hand. Rage flashed across Juvie's red eyes because he loved Mystic and in his opinion, he could be the only one she'd ever love.

Of course Mystic didn't know what her rat did to people.

"Get off me you fucking rat!" Gnarfas shook his hand and Juvie fell to the ground, hissing and spitting.

Gnarfas took one last look at Mystic's house, watching her bedroom light turn out. He noticed Vector's was still on, however, and saw him standing in the window. He looked up.

"Good. Night. Gnarfas." Vector said through teeth clenched tight and slammed the window down.


End file.
